Jail, emergency manager law focus of Muskegon Heights community forum

Locating the Muskegon County Jail at the former Lift-Tech International site and the state's emergency manager law will be discussed during a community forum in Muskegon Heights Saturday.MLive file photo

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MI -- The state’s emergency manager law and the search for a possible site for a new Muskegon County Jail will be discussed during a community forum in Muskegon Heights Saturday.

The featured speaker is scheduled to be Marcus Muhammad, a city commissioner from Benton Harbor, which has had an emergency financial manager for more than two years.

The community forum, organized by a "grassroots" group of Muskegon Heights citizens, will be 2-6 p.m. in the Louis McMurray Conference Center, 2624 Sixth St.

Kimberly Sims, Muskegon Heights mayor pro tem, will speak about efforts to establish a new Muskegon County jail and juvenile detention center.

One of the forum’s organizers, who identified herself only as Naeink, said the idea of the forum is get out facts about local issues and encourage discussion about them. The group is not taking sides on the issues, she said.

“So often we read something and then go have a discussion with other people, and some of the facts get pushed out of the way,” Naeink said. “We want to bring some facts and information and clarity and have a dialog.”

Kimberly Sims

Muhammad is a critic of the emergency manager law, saying Benton Harbor’s emergency manager, Joe Harris, has been disrespectful to city officials and has “thumbed his nose” at residents. Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm appointed Harris as the city's emergency financial manager in 2010.

The state’s emergency manager law, which has resulted in the appointment of an emergency manager to oversee Muskegon Heights Public Schools, is on the ballot in November. Michigan currently operates under an emergency manager law approved in 1990, which allows the governor to appoint an emergency financial manager to take control of finances in debt-ridden cities and public school districts.

A more encompassing law passed last year gives emergency managers broader powers to void contracts, including labor bargaining agreements. That law, Public Act 4, has been suspended until the outcome of the Nov. 6 election. Opponents of Public Act 4 launched a petition drive to put the law before voters.

The four-hour forum also will include discussion of plans to build a new jail and juvenile detention center. Muskegon County officials have narrowed down a list of possible sites, which includes the former Lift-Tech International site on Broadway Avenue in Muskegon Heights.

Other potential sites for the jail and juvenile center are the former Roundy’s distribution facility on Laketon Avenue and Mercy General Hospital on Oak Street.

The Muskegon Heights City Council has been debating the pros and cons of locating the jail in the city. Those against it prefer to see development, preferably industrial, that would add to the city’s tax base. They also have questioned what sort of image the city would be left with if it is the home of the jail.

But others say the jail could spawn other development, including attorney’s offices, and generate more income taxes for the city.